Gross income? Why not net income?

[Cali]

Yes, I do. But you have to remember my location, experience, and company goes into play. I am also pretty good at what I do.

Do you make $100k+ with that MBA? That is something I have in the works right now.

[debtmonster]

Yes, I do. But you have to remember my location, experience, and company goes into play. I am also pretty good at what I do.

I have 20 years experience in my field. Where's my $100k?

Florida sucks.

[StartingOver08]

debtmonster, it is not Florida. Not to be mean, but I have been making well over $250k/year for years and I am in S. FL. It is the field you choose. It is the expertise you bring to the table. If you do not value yourself, then your employor will not value you appropriately.

Also, you must decide what you want to do as a career path and go after it - whether it takes additional education or experience or just plain guts. But in any event it takes a plan.

I happen to be here right now because I made a serious mistake after a serious illness. I zigged rather than zagged so to speak. But, I will get back on my feet and learn from this too. As most of us will.

I do not expect any sort of hand out or 'share the weath' type thing. I expect to move forward from here and actually use this time to better my plan. What will you do?

[Cali]

If you lived in a higher cost of living area with the same job/experience/education, do you think you would make 100k+?

I have 20 years experience in my field. Where's my $100k?

Florida sucks.

[debtmonster]

If you lived in a higher cost of living area with the same job/experience/education, do you think you would make 100k+?

I don't know... but I don't want to live in an area that after my income, taxes and living expenses, I net much less than I could in an area making a lesser income.

Just throwing random numbers out there... Let's just say I was making $50k/yr. and after my living expenses, I had $1500/mo. left ofter to enjoy.

Now let's say I made $70k in California and had $500/mo. left ofter to enjoy. Why bother living in California (it could be anywhere, I just used this as an example) when I could be living in Missouri for $50k having the $1500 to eat at nice restaurants, save in a 401k, etc.

I want to be able to have the same left over or more if I were to move to a higher cost of living.

[debtmonster]

debtmonster, it is not Florida. Not to be mean, but I have been making well over $250k/year for years and I am in S. FL. It is the field you choose. It is the expertise you bring to the table. If you do not value yourself, then your employor will not value you appropriately.

How can I make $250k/yr.? Please stop keeping this to yourself! I am tired of being broke and want to make $200k/yr. for once in my life.

For all of you high income earners, please tell me the exact details how you pulled this off. "Hard work" is not an answer.

I just want to hear the step-by-step process of what it took.

[Tbornetun]

How can I make $250k/yr.? Please stop keeping this to yourself! I am tired of being broke and want to make $200k/yr. for once in my life.

For all of you high income earners, please tell me the exact details how you pulled this off. "Hard work" is not an answer.

I just want to hear the step-by-step process of what it took.

Hard work is the answer.

There is nothing that anyone is keeping from you. Everyone wants to make more than they currently do, who wouldn't. No one is going to provide you with step by step details on how to make this happen. Getting to this place in life for anyone has been a different journey than others.

You need to figure out what your journey is going to be. There is not some big secret that everyone is keeping from you.

[debtmonster]

Hard work is the answer.

There is nothing that anyone is keeping from you. Everyone wants to make more than they currently do, who wouldn't. No one is going to provide you with step by step details on how to make this happen. Getting to this place in life for anyone has been a different journey than others.

You need to figure out what your journey is going to be. There is not some big secret that everyone is keeping from you.

If I could do it, I would. If it wasn't a secret, people on here would write a simple paragraph of all of the steps they did to pull it off. $200k is a dream come true for 90% of us.

[chloe0724]

debtmonster,

I think you are looking at this the wrong way. Most people that make 200k plus a year have had one or more of the following things in their life:

* A good education
* an entrapenuiral spirit
* Good resources
* Many Many hours dedicated to their field

Anyone can have this, but not everyone has what it takes to get there.

[Tbornetun]

Nicely put.

[debtmonster]

It's still not answering my question. All of the stuff you're posting is "common knowledge". I want to see the nitty gritty. I already know it's hard work. I want to know what the hard work entails for many of the $200-300k people here (past or present.)

[Tbornetun]

The answer to your question is that there is no specific nitty gritty to provide to you.

You want to make $200k as a doctor, go to medical school.
You want to make $200k as an attorney, go to law school.
etc.

Whatever you want to do, research the steps you will need to take to get you there.
There isn't any information to provide you. Figure it out.

[debtmonster]

That's what I am doing here... research.

The people making that money didn't say what they did to make it.

[lrprn]

That's what I am doing here... research.

The people making that money didn't say what they did to make it.

Here's a good place to start your research into who makes six figure incomes - http://swz.salary.com/salarywizard/l...ngejob_50.html . It's an extensive list of jobs that typically make at least $100,000 a year or more. Since making a lot of money appears to be your primary motivator, now go figure out how to become one of these people.

And while you do so, remember that more than 2000 years ago, a very wise man noted that money isn't the sole path to happiness:

"There is no calamity greater than lavish desires.
There is no greater guilt than discontentment.
And there is no greater disaster than greed."
- Lao-tzu, The Way of Lao-tzu, Chinese philosopher (604 BC - 531 BC)

[fltoo]

Rich is relative and is not a good goal.

DM, I understand your frustration that no one can give you an exact path to "rich", but I can share with you some observations I have made over the years of being in business.

I know people with very good jobs, an MBA and a very good career path. They make excellent money, have a good health plan, and wonderful retirement benefits. With good financial planning and no debt, they will retire very well off at age 65. Whether they make 50K or 250K is irrelevent because they all had the same goal, to be able to support their families, send the kids to college, and live comfortably in retirement.

Others are small business people, a little more risk oriented, a little more hard working because they have to pay for their own benefits and retirement, but nonetheless, with the same goals.

Then there are those who made millions. I look at them with awe because personally I could never, ever have the dedication and focus it took to do what they did. There are many true millionaires out there, but I can only speak of the ones that I know. They never expressed money as their goal. They had other goals that needed money to support. They are the ones that tend to write down their goals weekly, monthly, yearly, and stay focused on them. They are also the ones that have sacrificed the most.
One of my dear friends still lives in the same lifestyle as when he started and still drives a beat up old Honda. His goal does not include a new car right now and he would never dream of a car payment. He also has no problem with paying his own health insurance and saving for his own retirement.

Maybe the key is to examine what is important to you, set a goal and follow it, and determine how much you want to sacrifice?

If just money is your goal, I don't think you are going to make it. Look at the stats on lottery winners and sports figures that end up with nothing after they blew through the money.